New mass loss kinetic model for thermal decomposition of biomass

Based on non-isothermal experimental results for eight Chinese biomass spec ies, a new kinetic model, named as the "pseudo bi-component separate-stage model (PBSM)", is developed in this note to describe the mass loss behavior of biomass thermal decomposition. This model gains an advantage over the c ommonly used "pseudo single-component overall model (PSOM)" and "pseudo mul ti-component overall model (PMOM)". By means of integral analysis it is ind icated that the new model is suitable to describe the mass loss kinetics of wood and leaf samples under relatively low heating rates (e.g. 10 degreesC /min, used in this work).